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I may have been a bit ... unhelpful in my first post. What I should have expounded with is that MMOs in general are massive undertakings and require a team effort. What you should look into is developing skills in programming or art asset creation and finding a team to work with.

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Original post by zer0wolfI may have been a bit ... unhelpful in my first post. What I should have expounded with is that MMOs in general are massive undertakings and require a team effort. What you should look into is developing skills in programming or art asset creation and finding a team to work with.

actually I think that was a very mean thing of you to do in the first post, and please, hear me out before pointing out the obvious and/or the flaming begins.

Yes, creating an MMO is a huge undertaking, but the fact that the guy has already A) found this website B) made an account, and most likely has snooped around a little too, and C) has reached out the community and put the ultimate question, makes him deserve much more than a ridicule in my opinion.

Making an MMO is NOT impossible, and I repeat, it is NOT impossible, not one bit, it does require a lot of 'sacrifice' and 'dedication', not to mention 'experience', the thing is that any big game is a huge project nowadays, even more so when it's an MMO game, often in order to make MMO's you need huge project teams that are all as dedicated and motivated towards the end goal as one self, but it doesn't have to be that way, another big reason why it's a huge undertaking is the time it takes to build the game, and before that, the time it takes to gain the skills necesary, in both cases we're talking years.

in my opinion though a good place to start is to understand what you will have to put into it and realize that an MMO is simply something you cannot do as the tables are turned right this second, after you realized that you have to put your heart, mind and soul into changing the tables, pick up a programming book, and learn the basics of the language, C++ is most common and is probably your best bet, after that you will have to take on more books, we're probably talking ten or twenty books, and that's all just theoretical material, after the theory comes practise, you will have to make small, yet bigger and bigger, games or projects with all the skills you've obtained through the theory, all while you consume more theory on the particular subjects in the field that's attractive and/or useful in your case. Once you've covered that you can start dreaming again and be in a much better position too, you probably wont be capable to build an MMO, alone, or with other people even, but you will be hell of a lot closer, and it is here that you need to find like minded people that can help you to progress and prosper as you get more and more hardened and more and more experienced, all while you and your alikes builds a great title, bare in mind though that it probably wont be the dream you have now that you will be developing, but one day dear friend, that sweet little dream of yours will come true, you just have to believe in it, and fight for it! ;)I wish you truly good luck on your journey

faithfullyNozzyEz

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Original post by NozzyEzMaking an MMO is NOT impossible, and I repeat, it is NOT impossible, not one bit, it does require a lot of 'sacrifice' and 'dedication', not to mention 'experience', the thing is that any big game is a huge project nowadays, even more so when it's an MMO game, often in order to make MMO's you need huge project teams that are all as dedicated and motivated towards the end goal as one self, but it doesn't have to be that way, another big reason why it's a huge undertaking is the time it takes to build the game, and before that, the time it takes to gain the skills necesary, in both cases we're talking years.

It's impossible for someone who has no experience. No amount of dedication or 'sacrifice' is going to make up for that.

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Original post by NozzyEzin my opinion though a good place to start is to understand what you will have to put into it and realize that an MMO is simply something you cannot do as the tables are turned right this second, after you realized that you have to put your heart, mind and soul into changing the tables, pick up a programming book, and learn the basics of the language,

In other words, "get experience."

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Original post by NozzyEzC++ is most common and is probably your best bet

No. C++ is a terrible language for beginners. Whether it's used in the industry or not has no bearing on whether you should use it, and especially not whether you should start with it.

Original post by NozzyEzafter that you will have to take on more books, we're probably talking ten or twenty books, and that's all just theoretical material

Huh? Theory books aren't necessary to begin programming, certainly not ten or twenty of them. A good book will help, but it doesn't have to be anything about 'theory'.

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Original post by NozzyEzafter the theory comes practise, you will have to make small, yet bigger and bigger, games or projects with all the skills you've obtained through the theory, all while you consume more theory on the particular subjects in the field that's attractive and/or useful in your case.

Learn to program, start out with smaller projects. In other words, "get experience."

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Original post by NozzyEzbut one day dear friend, that sweet little dream of yours will come true, you just have to believe in it, and fight for it! ;)

You need to do a lot more than believing. In reality it probably won't come true, because people tend not to realize the scope of their dreams and how damn near impossible they really are. But sure, feel free to try. In any case, learning how to program will be the first step, and from there you'll be able to get a clearer picture of what it actually takes to make something like a MMO.

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Ra summed up my sentiments pretty well. I just wasn't very elegant in my first post, especially.

The OP is really asking the wrong question. Asking where to start in the creation of an MMO shows that he or she isn't ready to begin the development of an MMO. A More appropriate question would be - What skills might I need to develop to be able to contribute to the development of an MMO? In this case, the answer would be to start learning to program or learning about art asset creation. These foundational steps are worlds away from the actual creation of an MMO and is where any beginner should be starting.

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You have to think about the OP angle on this. Most people get started in anything we do with some big idea. Then in order to achieve that big idea we do whatever it takes....read boring tutorials, get pissed at compilers, get pissed at writers of tutorials for leaving out the tiny detail you needed, and all that other stuff...

A more positive approach would have said what it takes to get where he wants to be....not why he cant get where he wants to be. From what I read it was as if you were saying "how dare you even think of taking that on?!"

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Original post by dillsconFrom what I read it was as if you were saying "how dare you even think of taking that on?!"

The problem lies in the fact that this very questions, particularly on a site like this, gets asked by somebody every single week. In general the authors of these posts want the definitive answer on how they can make the next WoW and don't have even the foggiest of a clue as to the shear amount of man years, sleepless nights, headaches, and money that goes into a game of that size. I don't mean to come across as overly pessimistic, but looking at the grand scheme of things, I personally find it hard not to be.

On the same token, however, any posts of mine or anyone else's shouldn't be enough to discourage someone from following their dream. I certainly didn't land my current job as a game designer by just giving up. I did, however, learn that it is important to take baby steps and do your homework to get to where you want to be. Anyone getting into game development needs to be told these things up front so they can know what they are getting themselves into. Knowledge is power [wink]

edit: leave it to Oluseyi to come along and say things a bit more eloquently!

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Experience is failure, success and progress. Specifically, experience is learning what doesn't work from your failures and what does from your successes. You'll gain it much faster if you apprentice yourself to someone with more than you.

The OP doesn't deserve ridicule, and there is a presumption at work that the OP wishes to immediately commence work on an MMO. That's a function of his/her wording. If the statement had been "it is my dream to create an MMO; how do I get started?", I think many people would have been more charitable.

Also, the OP is receiving the effect of the summer glut of "clueless n00bs" on the regulars. After answering questions like this all summer, a number of people become shorter than they need to be. (I've learned to basically take the summer off and only answer questions that I find interesting; I do this year-round, but even more so during the summer when the school kids have too much time on their hands. [smile])

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I agree with everything you said except the definition of experience. But I'm very close to the bottom when it comes to experience or knowledge in the field of programming, I chimed in just because if I was the OP I wouldnt want much more to do with any of this stuff if thats what I saw when I made my first dive in.

But I also understand that its a bit of a redundant question too.

Experience defined: 1 a : direct observation of or participation in events as a basis of knowledge b : the fact or state of having been affected by or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation

With that said I guess experience requires direct contact with the object in general. I think failure, success and progress are just results of experience in the making. <----Deep Thought of the Day